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Mayor Dwight Coleman visits with each fourth grader at the Arbor Day program, asking them to tell him their favorite tree. (Johnson Publications photo)

Fourth graders keep Arbor Day alive

By Jan Schultz The Imperial Republican

Arbor Day last Friday arrived with cold and rainy weather, so there wasn’t much tree-planting in and around Imperial.
But that doesn’t mean the national tree-planting holiday that started in Nebraska went unnoticed.
Members of the fourth grade classes at Chase County Schools spent about an hour last Friday at the annual Arbor Day program learning about Imperial’s activities that help make it a Tree City USA a 32nd straight year.
The city plans the program each year on Arbor Day, after it sponsors an essay contest in fourth grade, encouraging students to write about their favorite trees.
Navy Smith, Tristan Jablonski and Conner Tyerman represented the city in Lincoln at the Tree City USA ceremony after their essays were chosen the top three by city staff judges.
Earning runner-up honors in the essay contest was Benjamin Dodge. He was presented a t-shirt at Friday’s program.
All four boys read their essays to their classmates.
A special guest at Friday’s program was Imperial Mayor Dwight Coleman.
He read and signed the annual Arbor Day Proclamation, which urges city residents to plant and care for trees “to gladden the heart and promote the well-being for this and future generations.”